VCU eliminated from NCAA tournament due to "COVID-19 protocols"

Saturday night's scheduled contest between No. 7 seed Oregon and No. 10 seed VCU in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament has been declared a no-contest with the Ducks advancing on to the second round because of COVID-19 issues within the VCU program. It's the first cancellation of the tournament as the event proceeds with rigorous COVID-19 testing standards.

"The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee has declared the VCU-Oregon game scheduled for Saturday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum a no-contest because of COVID-19 protocols," the NCAA said in a statement. "This decision was made in consultation with the Marion County Public Health Department. As a result, Oregon will advance to the next round of the tournament. The NCAA and the committee regret that VCU's student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to play in a tournament in which they earned the right to participate. Because of privacy issues we cannot provide further details." Oregon will play the winner of Saturday night's game between No. 2 seed Iowa and No. 15 seed Grand Canyon.